I have had porcelain veneers for seven months. My dentist told me originally that they were very stain resistant, but now they’re turning yellow. I called and ask them about it but all they said is I should consider quitting smoking as they will stain even natural teeth. I paid a fortune for these thinking they would be white for years. Can I whiten them?
Cindy
Dear Cindy,
Something is wrong here, and not just with the way the treated your question. Porcelain veneers are very stain resistant. In fact, they are even more stain-resistant than your natural teeth. In that short amount of time, the smoking should have had very little effect on them. Sometimes the composite bonding on the edges can pick up some stains and so I suggest regular maintenance of polishing those up, which can be easily done at your normal checkups.
Based on what you are saying the entire surface of the porcelain veneers are turning yellow. The timing of this strikes me. Is it possible you recently had a dental cleaning done? If so, and the hygienist mistakingly used something similar to a power prophy jet or an acidulated fluoride, it would have removed the glazing on your porcelain veneers. It is the glazing that protects them and keeps them stain resistant.
Another possibility is that your dentist gave you composite veneers and just told you they were porcelain. There are some unethical dentists out there. Composite stains much more easily.
Getting this Fixed
It will be hard for you to know what happened on your own, so you will need a second opinion. It doesn’t sound like if either of these happened, your dentist will willingly admit it and as a patient, they won’t just take your word for it. What I recommend you do is visit an expert cosmetic dentist and have them look at the veneers to see if the glazing is missing or if they’re actually composite. With another dentist backing you up, it will be much easier to get a refund. Then you can get this done again.
To find an expert cosmetic dentist, I would go to the mynewsmile.com website and use their referral link. They pre-screen cosmetic dentists for both technical knowledge and skill as well as artistry. One tip. When you get a second opinion, make sure it is a blind second opinion. By that, I mean don’t tell them who did the work. Many dentists know each other and are friends. You don’t want him feeling conflicted. This way you get an unbiased opinion.
This blog is brought to you by West Seneca Dentist Dr. Warren Krutchick.